Staff & Faculty News

For the First Time, All Avian Evolutionary Relationships Revealed Through Collaboration

April 29, 2025

Professor Emily Jane McTavish and colleagues at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology have mapped the evolution of every known bird species. They created a complete evolutionary tree of bird species by combining data on 9,239 species published in nearly 300 studies between 1990 and 2024 and...

A large crowd of campus community members stand in line for food at UC Merced's new dining center, The Pavilion.

The Pavilion Serves Up Tasty Fare, More Menu Options in Bigger Digs

Before Executive Chef Mitch Vanagten and his Dining Services team members saw blueprints for The Pavilion — UC Merced’s new dining center and centerpiece of the Merced 2020 Project’...

uc merced celebrating service award winners

Staff Assembly Survey Informs Board Activities and Future Plans

Staff Assembly exists to promote and support all staff members at UC Merced. To do that, our executive board must first understand what employees want and need. We issued a survey this past spring...

Four male students huddle around a computer as they work.

Student Success Internship Program Returns, Project Proposals Due Sept. 7

Campus departments and schools: Here’s a chance to get your projects off the ground while helping students gain valuable experience. The only cost is the time you invest with your interns....

Two students hold a sign that reads: Welcome to UC Merced. Welcome to the Community. Welcome Home!

Events Prepare Campus Community for Fall

Never mind the holidays. For Ron Radney, the most wonderful time is the start of a new academic year. Since joining UC Merced three years ago as director of Financial Aid and Scholarships, Radney...

Humanities Project Launching Community Collaborative for Graduate Training and Research

A new two-year project at UC Merced aims to bring academic and non-academic researchers together to recast the role of the humanities in public policy and, ultimately, improve the lives of San...

Sifuentez Appointed to Head Center for Humanities

As new director of the Center for the Humanities, Professor Mario Sifuentez ’ sights are set on a fuller understanding of rural communities and how best to help them. He’s got a...

Librarian’s Book Addresses ‘Fake News’ and Critical Thinking

First impressions count, maybe now more than ever. But what if those impressions are based on lies? People’s willingness to believe even the most outrageous “information” they...

Drawing Graphic Lessons: Comics Teach, Evaluate Difficult Concepts

Though illustrations have been used to convey ideas and information since before language existed, after Benjamin Franklin published the world’s first editorial cartoon in 1754, comics emerged...

Woman in olive shirt rests on railing in front of concrete wall.

Beaudin Named Campus’ Second Winner of Prestigious Pew Award

Biology Professor Anna Beaudin was named a member of the 2018 class of Pew Biomedical Scholars today, one of 22 early-career researchers nationwide to receive this year’s prestigious award...

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